MUMBAI, 28 July 2026: Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, the country’s leading oral care company, today announced the successful completion of its 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy and unveiled its 2030 SMILE Strategy, marking the next phase of its ‘We Make India Smile’ journey.
For nine decades, Colgate has translated consumer trust into tangible societal value. Beyond delivering accessible, science-led oral care, the brand’s core purpose encompasses manufacturing locally, generating employment across a vast value chain, educating millions of children, empowering communities, and nurturing the planet through sustainability action.
Building on the progress achieved over the last five years, the new roadmap sets more ambitious goals to advance climate action, accelerate circularity, improve access to quality oral care, and deepen community impact, while reinforcing the Company’s belief that sustainable growth is achieved when consumers win, business wins, and the planet wins.
Driving Social Impact
At the heart of Colgate-Palmolive India’s sustainability journey is its commitment to improving lives and creating more inclusive communities. The flagship Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® CSR program has engaged with ~195 million children and their families across India since 1991, including ~26 million children and their families across 15 states since 2020. During FY2025-26, more than 237,000 beneficiaries, primarily women, were empowered through financial and digital literacy initiatives across 650 villages, enabling greater financial inclusion and access to government welfare schemes.
Helping Millions of Homes
Colgate-Palmolive India continued to deliver safe, trusted and accessible oral care through science-led innovation and responsible product stewardship. 100% of Colgate toothpaste manufactured in India has transitioned to recyclable tubes, reinforcing the Company’s commitment to making sustainable choices more accessible for consumers without compromising product quality or affordability. The Company maintained zero product recalls for over a decade, while providing 100% ingredient transparency across its digital platforms.
Preserving Our Environment
The Company continued to make significant progress towards its climate and circularity goals. During FY2025-26, Colgate-Palmolive maintained 101% plastic waste neutrality under India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and reduced carbon emissions from its India operations by 43% compared to the FY2020-21 baseline. Renewable electricity accounted for 60% of electricity consumed across its manufacturing plants, while all four manufacturing facilities retained TRUE Platinum Zero Waste certification, collectively diverting 7,607 metric tonnes of waste from disposal, of which 4,891 MT was recycled and 2,716 MT was reused. The Company also remained Water Positive at the country level, with 95% of its packaging now recyclable, reusable or compostable.
Commenting on the announcement, Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director – ESG & Communications, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, said: “The successful completion of our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy is a fitting milestone as we celebrate 90 years in India. For nine decades, generations of Indians have trusted us with their smiles. Over the past five years, we have embedded sustainability deeper into our business, from how we innovate and manufacture to how we engage with communities. Our 2030 SMILE Strategy builds on this strong foundation and reflects our ambition to create lasting value by improving lives, protecting the environment and delivering trusted, science-led products for millions of consumers.”
Looking Ahead: The 2030 SMILE Strategy
Building on this momentum, the 2030 SMILE Strategy accelerates Colgate-Palmolive India’s long-term commitments. The Company aims to reach an additional 245 million children and their families through the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program, reduce virgin plastic use by 33% compared to the 2019 baseline, design 100% of its packaging for recycling, source 100% renewable electricity across its industrial operations, strengthen water resilience across priority value chain locations, and achieve Net Zero emissions across its value chain by 2040*.
As Colgate-Palmolive enters the next phase of its sustainability journey, the Company remains committed to making India smile by delivering superior oral care through science-led innovation, empowering communities through meaningful social impact, and protecting the natural resources that support healthier lives for generations to come.
About Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited
Colgate-Palmolive is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, and the planet. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited is the market leader in Oral Care in the country, committed to delivering sustainable, profitable growth for its shareholders, while fostering an inclusive workplace for its people. With a primary focus on science-led innovations in Oral Care & Personal Care in the Indian market, the company is recognized for its leadership and innovative efforts in advancing sustainability and community well-being. Among its recent accomplishments, the company has made significant strides in reducing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, conserving water and energy at its manufacturing facilities, empowering women with financial and digital literacy and enhancing children’s oral health through its flagship, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® program. For more information about Colgate’s global business and how it is building a future to smile about, visit: www.colgatepalmolive.co.in
